Published

MegaUpload Search Warrant Declared Invalid

A New Zealand judge has ruled that the search warrant issued for MegaUpload’s owner and founder Kim Dotcom’s abode was “invalid.”

File locker website MegaUpload was taken offline in January and its owner was arrested, his accounts seized and properties confiscated. Mr Dotcom spoke often with the media about the impact this had upon him and his family, though he often remained upbeat despite the heart ache and emotional distress.

He has often claimed that he was a scapegoat for the file sharing industry, his arrest designed more to send a message to other sites than to actually lead to anything concrete. It worked too, sites like Rapidshare, Fileserve and others either shut up shop, or altered their terms and conditions to make them less applicable to the same charges brought against MegaUpload.

Now though things could change, since High Court judge Helen Winkelmann has said: “The warrants did not adequately describe the offences to which they related. They were general warrants, and as such, are invalid.”

Apparently the police and other authorities are said to decide on what to do now, whether they can even legally hold Mr Dotcom. It seems at least than much of the evidence acquired during the intial raid could now be invalid as well, since the warrant was unlawful. Currently being held by the police include over 20 vehicles, millions of dollars and several high end computers and servers.